Guest Compliments

Just finished our South Africa and Victoria Falls tour. There are really no words to describe the wonderful experience we had on this tour. Our Guru Andrew, in-country guide Dube and the rest of the crew made this a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. We were looked after from home to back home. TRIP OF A LIFETIME!- Gary 

Last september Shafiek Dreyer was our guide and driver on our vacation during our trip Capetown,  Hermanus,  Knysna and Franschoek. We are very glad that Shafiek was our guide because of his kindness, his knowledge about the culture of South Africa, his humour, his respect for 'opa en oma' and his helpfulness every hour of the day. By thinking along with us, we are glad to say that we have done almost all the planned activities. Shafiek was also a very relaxed and safe driver. Also thanks to Shafiek our holiday was unforgettable, many thanks Shafiek. We will never forget him. When we hopefully come to South Africa again, we definitely hope that Shafiek will drive us again.

First and foremost, I would like to convey that both groups had remarkable experiences during their recent trips. Their return was marked by immense satisfaction and joy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your exceptional work in ensuring their enjoyment. Your insights played a pivotal role in orchestrating a memorable journey for this family.

South Africa was really nice experience and we absolutely loved it. Thank you Thompsons Africa for making our vacation so special, and special thanks to our tour Guide Nabeel Daniels, he was amazing and we really enjoyed our time.

Just like to say thank you so much for the way your company has looked after us from the minute we left MSC Orchestra on Saturday. We were collected by Ernie at the Port and taken to our hotel and given comprehensive info regarding the arrangements for our game drive. We we're then collected as arranged and had a magnificent day on safari. Ernie made the day with his brilliant insights into life in S Africa and the places we passed on the journey. Ernie went the extra mile regarding details of our journey home and dropped off some info  at the hotel this morning which really put our minds at rest. Big shout out to you and Thompsons Africa and thanks to Ernie big time!

The guests loved it. The organization was great, they enjoyed the excursions. The guides’ German was great and even the 'long' drive to the park seemed to pass quickly as the guide explained a lot.

'It was a trip of a lifetime, everyone had a wonderful time, the guides were fantastic and top notch, the birthday cake at Golds was delicious. The vision I put on paper, you made come to life.'

It was a truly amazing holiday. We all had a fantastic time and did so much whilst there. The incredible Kariega Game Reserve was truly the highlight of our holiday made so special by the Ranger there, Matt, his knowledge & the additional safaris made sure we captured every special moment and created some awesome photo memories. Their fabulous team who looked after us all so well, with amazing food, the River Lodge was fantastic (best choice) and the celebration cake for Emma’s Birthday really was the icing on the cake. Thank you both for booking this and making our holiday a truly memorable experience we will all never forget. Both Emma and I actually cried, when we left as it had been such a magical experience we did not want to leave.

I can’t say enough about our guides.  They took the time to get to know everyone and we love that they educated us on the country, the culture, and the people.  They were game changers!

Our guides were both excellent.  They were professional, unfailingly gracious, kind, and knowledgeable.

Our guides were amazing!  They made sure everything ran seamlessly, were fun, knowledgeable and organized.  South Africa’s mixture of experiences will impact us for a lifetime.

Thanks a lot for this TOP quality service.  Will definitely recommend Rogers Aviation (Blue Sky) and Thompson Africa.

This is our fourth trip and by far the best!  The agenda and the guides Craig and Ralph were amazing.  The resorts were beautiful and comfortable.  Meals were outstanding and plentiful.  Craig and Ralph are great people and an asset to the company.  Thank you!

Our guides Ralph and Craig were truly AMAZING with utmost focus on details and hospitality!

The Guides, variety of the itinerary, ease of travel, and the safari were the highlights!

Anthea was the greatest!  She was so full of information, enthusiasm, and laughter.  She made calls along the way to enhance our stay.  I mentioned a restaurant that has come highly recommended and although it is difficult to get a reservation there, she picked up the phone and used her fabulous personality to get us in that very night.  I cried when our time with Anthea was over, and I miss her still.  She is a wonderful guide and human being.  Our whole family loved Anthea!

Hello,
I wanted to thank Thompsons Africa for sending Canaan and Pieter to be our guides for our recent trip to South Africa.  Both were exceptional; they both went out of their way to provide information, commentary, and help with whatever our small group needed during our tour.  I would highly recommend them for anyone wanting a comprehensive tour of your beautiful country.
Sincerely,
Leslie

Everything about our trip was amazing.  The meals, the lodging, the sights, the wines (South African wines are fantastic!!!!) and especially listening to ‘Who was Nelson Mandela?’.  I ate dishes that I might no have tried on my own, experienced sights I probably wouldn’t have experienced.  And not to forget the placed we stayed which were all fantastic beyond belief and so very different.  The safaris were unimaginably wonderful.  Nothing prepared me for seeing lions just sitting on the road, or elephant bulls jostling, or even a million impalas.  Thank you very much.

Greetings team!
 
As we approach the halfway mark of our time together I wanted to mention our extreme satisfaction with all that Thompsons Africa has done. The effort put forth at JNB was really special (and really not even your responsibility), it is much appreciated. Craig and Mybee have gone out of their ways to improve every experience. The traveling team are in awe and very overwhelmed with the experience thus far, both from services received as well as the tour content points of view.
 
All in all, a gracious thanks to you from both Sharlene and I!

The trip was very successful, starting with the VIP meet and greet upon arrival, which helped to make the trip from the beginning.
 
Because of the timing of the year, many animals were seen that was not expected – we never dreamed we would see so many animals!  And so close too.  The guides were extremely knowledgeable.
 
The accommodations were more luxurious than expected and the rooms, nicer than I’ve ever stayed in.  Staying at the Victoria Falls was a real pleasure.  Staying the extra day was worth the time.  This was a day of leisure and rest.

We had an absolutely, fantastic trip. Our main driver with Thompsons Africa, Nathi, was amazing. Every guide, driver, restaurant staff, or hotel assistant went above and beyond to make our experience the best it could be. 
 
I meant to email you during our trip a few times, but we were having non-stop fun with all our day trips. I was so impressed how the whole country is being safe during this pandemic too.  We had our temperature taken every day and staff sprayed out hands with sanitizer.  This was common practice for everyone in all public place. It made me feel safe the whole trip. And clean. 
 
We even got a bonus day trip where the University I'm attending to study winemaking, arranged with Stellenbosch University a special behind the scenes tour of a bottling facility and two wineries
where we met the winemakers and got to taste their wines. 
 
This was the trip of a lifetime and I'm humbled we got to experience South Africa the way we did. Cape Town, Cederberg, and Franschhoek were beautiful. 
 
I can't thank you enough.

A simple 'Thank you' from our end would not do justice to the efforts and the support you have extended to our family.  We are deeply grateful for your efforts in ensuring that we had a wonderful and safe holiday.

Hi Nikita, I have returned from my South Africa and Dubai trip on the scheduled date. I really wanted to thank you for the best trip of my life. South Africa is amazingly beautiful, and your arrangements may it be the hotels, guides, transfers etc were all perfect and made the experience breathtaking! Special mention for Jacob (our Cape town guide) he was the best person I have ever travelled with! He had so much knowledge about South Africa, wildlife, nature, history etc that it's hard to find such amazing guides and I'm grateful to you giving me an opportunity of travelling in such a way. Will request you to convey this especially to the Thompson Africa team!

Hi Nicole,
You are amazing! Thank you so much for assisting our traveller with the expedited passport. I think this is an amazing representation of ‘above and beyond’ service and confirmation that our travellers ‘well – being’ is paramount to what we do, well done to one and all. Many thanks to the ground team for being there for Ms. Vasquez, wonderful job!

I wanted to thank you ladies and everyone involved in creating and organizing this amazing FAM trip! I have been on many FAM Trips over the years, but never one quite this special and well organized. Robyn was fantastic, she kept everyone happy and engaged. How she got all of us ‘girls’ on the same page and on time for everything was feat in itself! ;) It was a once in a lifetime journey and because of it I now feel confident in selling Africa! Again, thank you all, and Robyn, Ryan, Faysil, and Jackie and everyone else involved for this amazing fun and educational trip :)

Marshnee is always there, so knowledgeable and worth gold to me.  Thank you!

This trip was an outstanding experience and so far the longest vacation and tour that I've ever done.  It was truly 'incredible' in the content, the accommodations and cuisine, the personal service and attention of our guides, and even the amount of free time. Our small group of six was celebrating fifty years of friendship and we have set high standards after more than 45 years of traveling together. This trip did not disappoint and is for me the trip of a lifetime.

It was wonderful!  Your organisation was excellent and the variety of venues and hotels was great. We felt like VIPs. We loved having the transfers organised for us and yet having our own time when we got to the hotels.

Craig was outstanding.  His love of his country was evident.  During the tour our son said something like 'Haven’t you seen this before?' and Craig’s response was 'It’s my first time with you'.  I think that really says a lot.  It is clear Craig loves his job.

Dear Tatiana,
I hope you had a great start into the new week. I just spoke with Mr Knoll about his trip to South Africa. He was really enthusiastic and happy. Everything worked perfectly. He was more than happy with the camps in the Kruger, where he had the chance to see the Big Five twice and white sharks in Hermanus.
Thanks for your great job!
Stefan

Thank you for the excellent service provided by Thompsons Africa to our guests from beginning to the end.

Hello Louise.  Another phone call received this morning from a very happy customer who cannot thank us and Thompsons Africa enough for the excellent organisation of their trip. Thank you very much for your kind assistance. Our guests are very happy.

I’ve been meaning to write to you to let you know how the trip went.  I guess I should start with this – this trip exceeded expectations on every single level – and that’s a bold statement, as the anticipation and planning of this trip led us to have very high expectations!

The guest called me this week to say how great the trip was and how much they loved Shamwari and then they got to Savanna and apparently that was the best experience they have ever had. They have been to South Africa before with friends, but this time they took their daughters with them and said they will definitely be back.  Please can you thank the guides as she was also very impressed with them.  Thanks for all the help you have given as well.  Love working with you Nicole!

Just a quick email to say thank you for all your help sorting out our holiday. We had the most incredible time and have made so many precious memories that will last a life time. We loved every minute.   Thompsons Africa was fantastic out in South Africa and everything was so organised and the staff really do go above and beyond to make you feel so welcome.  We will definitely be recommending you to all our friends and family and we will certainly be using you again when we have saved up some more pennies for another adventure.

Just took a call from a lady who travelled with us in January on a Secret Escapes South Africa holiday.
 
She had been meaning to call us sooner but wanted to let us know how amazing Thompsons Africa were. She said every transfer they had the drivers were great, very chatty and informative. Also the lady that met them at the Winchester Mansions (unsure of her name) was very friendly and answered all their questions and if she didn’t know the answers, she soon found out.
 
The lady said this was their first long haul holiday and had never booked with Premier Holidays before but was very impressed with how the holiday worked out!

Thanks Cheryl for looking after this family. They had a wonderful time and were very impressed with all the camps who took special notice of their dietary requirements. The guide Alex Meer from Thompsons Africa in Cape Town was great. Very knowledgeable, kept us on schedule, organized flow and driving route to minimize traffic and maximize time at sights. I would recommend him to anyone.

You and everyone I work with at Thompsons Africa is Great!  But.... you're the BEST Tessa Robertson!!

Bart has shown us the great South Africa.  What a unforgettable journey it was. He is a very enthusiastic and very humorous tour guide. When we met him the first time, we felt we knew him for a long time. We really had an amazing trip and time together in one of most beautiful and diverse places on earth.

Hello dear Marlene.  Here I send you the link to our vacation photos. It was a very nice holiday with unbelievable impressions. We thank you very much for your excellent tour guiding. You have given us so much interesting information about the country, people and places of interest. This has made our trip something special. Many many thanks. We wish you all the best, health and many good travel groups :-) Greetings from Germany! Catrin and Mathias

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to you and the team for your assistance when our first flight was cancelled.  In what was a stressful situation, you guys really helped and made us feel like it was all going to be OK.  Please do pass our thanks onto the team in South Africa too and everyone was lovely, polite and friendly!

We’ve just returned from the wine tasting and I wanted to let you know that we had an absolute fantastic time!!!  Our guide was Nathi and I’m hoping you can pass along a good note to Thompsons Africa. We went to two wineries and a Cheetah Preserve which was great! Thanks again for organizing it.

Jono, I just wanted to let you know that Marshnee must be one of THE most dedicated people I know!  Can you believe she arranged a coach inspection the other day from home while she was sick! Now I know why we don’t have any trouble with this programme and that everything runs exceptionally well! Shout out for Marsh!! Thank you from all of us!

Back in Belgium, I send you these few words to thank your team for the great job during our stay in Cape Town. PERFECT!!  Is the word I will use to explain it. The welcome, the drivers were always on time, the 2 good guides (Leonce and Daniel Sidis) and your follow-up. Perfect, Yes I will tell my friends, and will recommend your Company. We will come back to South Africa soon. I will contact you again for you to organise it. In the meantime, all the best to you and Thompsons Africa.

I just want to say a huge thank you for helping me out with some ground arrangements and tours whilst in South Africa. The Sibuya lodge was amazing and all the staff were incredible from start to finish. Please pass my regards on to Chris and the team as they really went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience whilst in the lodge. All of the drivers who picked us up for transfers or tours were excellent and always on time, a special thank you to Frank in Durban who was a great guide and full of knowledge on the local area. Once again thank you all for helping make my holiday what it was.

I am writing to thank you and your staff for helping make our recent tour of South Africa such a success this was a fantastic trip. From our collection and stay at the One & Only to our final safari experience at Bakabung lodge we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The guides / drivers were friendly, knowledgeable and always helpful and helped ensure memorable experiences. I would particularly like to acknowledge the last excursion which you may recall was a last minute trip to Pretoria on our way to Johannesburg. The driver’s name was Asio. He made our last day an experience to remember with his knowledge of the city and history, an excellent guide and we would like that to be known.

We arrived back about 2 hours ago. We all wanted to write to you to say thank you for organising such an amazing holiday for us. The hotels were luxurious, the people lovely, the activities fantastic, the food and wine incredible!

I want to thank you for a great cooperation over the last year and help in arranging some great educational trips! We have really appreciated all your efforts. Meanwhile I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones and a happy 2018 in good health!

Thank you for all your hard work with this booking and going the extra mile to ensure that everything went perfectly for this family.  You and the Thompson Africa Team made us and our agent look really good. The guests were so happy and no doubt they will be telling all their friends about this fantastic trip.

The group members kept saying it was a trip of a lifetime, and some even said it was the best trip they have ever been on. Thank you!

I would just like to forward to you what every single person on our coach has said about Canaan. I have worked with him before today and even then I was happy with his commentaries. But today I really have to express the hard work he has put into this tour. Our clients clapped at the end of each and every day. I have never experienced this on any other tour. I as his tour manager, can confidently say he has come on in leaps and bounds, he has gone into his subjects in great detail, he must have dug deep into his books ect! Besides this his attitude is professional, never a wrong word, always a smile and this hasn’t gone amiss. I have indeed no problem in putting his name forward on any tour. I’d just like to thank him for being the person he is and may he continue on many of our tours.

Louise, I really can’t thank you enough for helping me retrieve my belongings! That meant a great deal to me. I hope you will buy yourself some lovely flowers with this thank you and a cup of coffee with this rand note I just found in the wash! Hope all is well. Come visit in Rye. All the best Katherine

Let me say that our trip to South Africa was way beyond our expectations. The accommodations were superb, the food plentiful and delicious, the transportation seamless and the service was outstanding. Our experience of South Africa was one of wonder and excitement around every corner.

Granma Lollie (AKA Lora Bohannon - my mom in law) returned this weekend and wanted to send you guys a big shout out- you did a great job.  She said Thompsons Africa were pro’s.  All transfer drivers were great and Namibia and Victoria Falls were awesome.  Well done - pat on the back.

I cannot describe in words what a fabulous time I had on the South Africa tour. After experiencing so much loss and sadness the past few years the trip was the healing experience that I so desperately needed. Indus exceeded all expectations that I had imagined. Our tour guide Peter was the best. Every detail was perfectly executed and the wealth of knowledge he shared was priceless. I felt like the group of individuals on the tour were somehow handpicked to add to the experience. There is so much more that I could say. My heart is singing with joy for having had the greatest experience so far in my life time. I’m already thinking about where and when I will be doing my next Indus tour.

My family and I spent 10 days in March in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Victoria Falls and enjoyed the highest quality service imaginable. The four days in Cape Town were planned by the most gracious Faziela Mohideen representing Thompsons Africa. Our day trips to Robben Island, Langa, the Peninsula, and Stellenbosch were perfectly executed and met our interests. Upon return to the USA, Ms. Mohideen facilitated communication to hotel staff in Cape Town to retrieve valuables left behind. Her professionalism is unequalled as are her ethics and personable interactions. She is, indeed, a human treasure. The guide to Stellenbosch was remarkable in sharing the history and recommendation for a memorable wine country tour. Our day trip down the Peninsula was unforgettable as well. Hats off to Thompsons Africa!

I just wanted to say a massive thank you for all that you did in arranging my trip to South Africa. My Husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it and we were treated like royalty throughout the whole experience. I cannot praise Thompsons Africa enough as everything went so smoothly. All of the transfers we had booked, the guys were always early to pick us up but if we weren’t quite ready, that was fine & they were happy to wait. All of the drivers were very friendly and our driver from Port Elizabeth up to Shamwari even gave us a lesson in speaking Xhosa. This was great fun! The platinum meet and greet service is fantastic, especially being met as soon as you come off the plane! It is quite satisfying jumping the queues at customs/security whilst everyone else in the queue looks on! A fantastic service and makes the airport experience much smoother. I will definitely be recommending the platinum service to clients. Anyway thank you once again for all of the hard work you put in to planning the trip. It was very much appreciated!

Cecelia Ashinhurst and I just wanted you to know what a wonderful job Thompsons Africa did for us while in South Africa. The drivers were on time (actually always on-site a bit early), the vehicles were spotless, and the drivers were friendly and helpful. Thompsons Africa service was EXCELLENT!

Further to our above mentioned trip to South Africa, we want to express our satisfaction with the total trip and a special word of appreciation to our guide Ben. He told us all he knew about Africa, about nature and politics and above all he was very amusing. Especially for the bus rides he entertained us so that the trip did not seem long. He was by far the best guide we have ever had (and we had many over the past years). We are hoping to see him again sometime on a new trip.

The trip was wonderful and we loved Thompsons Africa and the guide you used for us. We all wanted to bring Deon home with us – he was so knowledgeable, personal and helpful.

We enjoyed the beautiful trip, the many impressions, fun excursions and the good and our nice tour guide Ben Lombard. Ben told us a lot about South Africa, he did everything perfectly and to the point and he had a nice dose of humor. We therefore think he made this trip a success. When we travel to South Africa with a group trip, we hope that Ben will be our guide again.

Thank you so much for arranging our honeymoon. We had the most amazing time and we are so sad it is over!  All of our pick ups went smoothly and the drivers gave us lots of information on the area we were driving too. Everyone was very friendly and helpful and answered any questions we had. We had booked a few excursions and again these all went according to plan with phone calls to confirm timings and pick up locations. Everyone at Thompsons Africa was wonderful but we would just like to mention Dion in particular. He took us on the Peninsula tour, which was one of our highlights of the trip. His knowledge was astounding, and we not only learnt about the places we visited, he also taught us so much about South African history. He was clearly extremely proud of his country which was lovely to hear and made us fall in love with South Africa even more!!! We were not sure what to expect on our trip, neither of us having been to Africa before, but we were blown away. We were lucky enough to travel to four destinations, each one completely different but each as breathtaking as the last. The scenery was stunning, the animals were magnificent and the hotels were exquisite, but for us the people made our trip. Everyone was so welcoming and we felt at home from the second we stepped off the plane. All of our friends and family are now desperate to go after seeing our pictures, so I am sure you will get many more bookings coming your way! So once again thank you so much. We have made memories to last a lifetime.  Lorena and Jack

Hey Judy,
I know I'm still in Africa but I really want to give kudos to Thompsons Africa for doing an amazing job on the tour, I hurt myself at the start of the second week and Michael (our guide) and George (our driver)  have been amazing. I would definitely travel with them again.

Just to let you know that Talia has been helping me with various quotes and bookings recently and has been amazing! Nothing is too much trouble for her especially with the volume that we are dealing with at the moment. Thought it would be nice if you could pass this onto her manager x

Dear Raeesa and Themba,

I just wanted to send you both a quick note to let you know that Shiraz and his wife had a wonderful time in Cape Town and on the Garden Route. They thoroughly enjoyed your service and hospitality.
Thank you for your prompt responses to my e-mails during the organization of this trip.  I appreciate it.  I look forward to working with you again in the near future.

Warm Regards
Naz

Hi Keresha,
Many thanks for making these arrangements for us!  It was great to see the Falls from the Zambian side and appreciate the contrast at this time of year whilst the river is so dry.  We had an amazing holiday in South Africa, Namibia and Vic Falls, thanks ever so much for all of your help and assistance in planning everything.  The highlights were too numerous to list but the tour of Namibia in particular was absolutely fantastic and we really appreciated having our own driver guide for the entire trip. Isa (our guide) was superb and really made the holiday for us.  Back to work today – I’m missing that African sunshine already.

My son and I recently visited South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.  We booked our trip through a local agent here in the United States. We did not know of Thompsons Africa until we arrived in South Africa. In a simple description, your organization was great - especially in Zimbabwe and Zambia.  We want to thank Duncan in Zimbabwe for an entertaining and informative tour. Also, our driver in Zambia, KJ. He was personable and informative as well. If we have the opportunity to return to Africa, Thompson Africa will definitely be our choice to show us around.

Amanda,
This email is long overdue. I received a note from you while on holiday in South Africa and Botswana this past July and August.  I want you to know that my holiday was everything I had hoped for and more.  Everything about it was superb:  the staff, the accommodations, the food, the transportation, and, of course, the animals in their natural environment. My African holiday was supposed to be ‘a once in a lifetime experience,’ but I’m already saving money for a return trip because there is so much more to see and experience.  Thank you to everyone for making my dream come true.
Warm wishes from Alberta, Canada,
Jo (Jocelyn) Simpson

This email is long overdue. I received a note from you while on holiday in South Africa and Botswana this past July and August.  I want you to know that my holiday was everything I had hoped for and more.  Everything about it was superb:  the staff, the accommodations, the food, the transportation, and, of course, the animals in their natural environment. My African holiday was supposed to be ‘a once in a lifetime experience’, but I’m already saving money for a return trip because there is so much more to see and experience.  You can be sure I will travel with you again.
Thank you to everyone for making my dream come true.
Warm wishes from Alberta, Canada, Jo (Jocelyn) Simpson

I just wanted to send a quick email of praise for Caroline who went over and above to help me with a booking one of our consultants messed up on.  Not only did she send immediate confirmation, but she also stayed late to be able to send me the invoice and turns out to be an amazing negotiator.  She is so efficient and on the ball, and what could have been a huge disaster has all been rectified due to Caroline’s professionalism and helpful attitude.  I am so grateful she is part of our team.

Peter Wow!! You have been very entertaining and your knowledge and affection for South Africa is vast and plentiful. We are extremely happy that you have shared all of this with both of us. While it has been a shortstay in the Cape it has been a delightful and very informative time.  The history of your culture ever changing. The political challenges you continue to face each day and year have certainly not affected your black, white, pink, blue, yellow positive attitude you possess and share with others.

I have to say, without hesitation, this was the best tour I have to ever been on and I have done at least 10. There were so many different experiences; it is hard to pick a favourite. The Twelve Apostles hotel is simply amazing and the level of service unrivalled. Tinga Lodge was also very impressive. There was nothing like sitting with champagne with feet dipped in the plunge pool watching animals that weren't that far away. On the Zambezi Queen, the staff were warm and friendly and remembered everyone's name and the last night was just incredible. The visit to the preschool was an absolute highlight and the children were adorable. What a morning that was. The tour director, Pene, was one of a kind, and a star! Congratulations on putting together a well thought out tour providing a variety of experiences for all!

Dear Bongi,
I hope this finds you well.  I just wanted to say a big thank you again for all of your help in booking our awesome trip. I've been home for just over a week now and each morning l wake up wishing l was still in South Africa! We all had the most wonderful time.  The transfers were smooth(there's no better feeling than walking out into the airport arrivals hall and seeing one's name on a sign) and the drivers were all professional, friendly and skilled behind the wheel. The Commodore and Black Rhino were great but the highlight was definitely Makanyane Safari Lodge and Madikwe Game Reserve.
And l wanted to thank you for thinking of us while we were on our trip and making the effort to call the lodge to make sure everything was going well. (Even Lynette at Makanyane was impressed and said you were the sweetest person!) If there is a supervisor or manager l can write to in commendation of your outstanding service, please send me his/her email address as l would like to ensure that they are aware of your efforts on our behalf. I really can't thank you enough for everything. We're thinking we'll have to return again since we missed seeing the leopard! If/when we do l'll be sure to reach out to you.
With sincerest appreciation, Miki

We are back in Nairobi with fond memories of our wonderful trip to South Africa.  Thank you for all your help and advice in putting together our trip. Everything went well according to plan. All hotels were good and food was delicious.  Our guides/drivers did an excellent job in looking after us. They were punctual, polite and caring and we enjoyed every moment with them.  Special thanks to Nelson for the Sun City Tour, Michael Raa for the Garden Route Tour and Gaston for the Peninsula Tour.

We want to thank you very much for the wonderful trip we had to South Africa. What a beautiful country! Special thanks to Ben Lombard our guide. For information about the environment, the jokes and the concern for the group. Also thanks to our great driver Sam he was always cheerful and ready to assist,what a good driver ! Excellent! Thank you all.

Dear Chanel,
I don’t know if you remember me but among the many things that did go wrong during my Cape Town excursion you were like a guardian angel. I really appreciate all you did for me from putting our breakfast on your account to upgrading us to the beautiful Cape Town retreat.  Thank you so much. If there is a place where you would like me to rate you or your organisation I will be more than happy to do so.  Many thanks, Dr Ameer (PS is it possible to book future holidays with you?)

As a Tour Leader on behalf of my group from Singapore, I would like to say a big thank you to Thompsons Africa for the wonderful experience especially to our Capetown guide, Robbie Maretekwa for providing top-notched service!  Robbie is meticulous throughout and ensured that my group was being well taken care of from the beginning to the end. He definitely made the impact to our African experience. Knowledgeable and providing accurate information to the places we visited to entertaining the kids within the group. Somehow, he just manages keep the momentum going. In short, Robbie has raised the industry standard as a local tour guide. Kudos!!!

I just wanted to take a moment to say a very big THANK YOU from all of the group.  We had the most amazing holiday in Africa and we will never forget your kindness and care!  Please say hello to Deon who was also marvellous.

Dear Dawid,
Thank you once again for your extra ordinary guiding services. We haven’t stopped talking about our tour and are still laughing about your jokes. You have managed to get myself and Britta enthused about your country and shown us the beauty as well as the problems that South Africa has after the Apartheid era. Thank you so much for this! I am currently reading Nelson Mandela's book ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. Please let me know if you still would like to read the South Africa travel guide that we were talking about. If so then I would like to post it to you. Warm greetings from Germany, Beatrix Denzel-Bannwitz

Hello Darling,
Thank you once again for all you have done for us and for the most beautiful tour that you have made so unique. It was great to learn so much about your country and people. I am sending you some pictures of our tour attached to this email. Once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Marit and Grandparents

Hi.  We are back home now and just wanted to say how pleased we were with Thompsons Africa.  All of our pick ups were on time and our drivers were very courteous.  Our two tour guides, Ron and Estee were great, obliging and very informative.  Whenever I sent an email, the response was always very prompt.  I would definitely book with Thompsons Africa again. Thanks for a great holiday. Jim & Kathy Hisson

I've been meaning to contact you since we returned from our spectacular Africa trip.  We booked our trip through African Travel Inc. and were so lucky to get Thompsons Africa in the deal.  I'm guessing Gaston Bonifazi was ‘less than thrilled’ when he learned he was going to be guiding four old ladies for three days, but he was ever such a good sport!  He was warm and personable, incredibly knowledgeable, and a really good time.  We all had the sense that making our trip sensational and safe was his first priority.  If somebody gets a chance, tell him Hi! from Mickey, Nancy, Linda and Doris, and Thank You.  And Alex, in Victoria Falls, was delightful as well.  After dropping us off at the airport, he came back in, and was successful at getting us to the front of a very long, slow check-in line (the computers were down).  Excellent customer service all around.
Thank You for your part in making Africa the Trip of a Lifetime!
Mickey Schumacher

You have been fantastic by the way dealing with this booking and may I commend you for all of your hard work!  It’s been a pleasure working with you.

I wanted to thank you both for fantastic work on this last tour.  Ms. Weaver did some traveling after her tour and has finally settled back home and shared with us her appreciation for a job well done.  I thank you very much for your tireless support over the last few years in working with us to make travel dreams come true. I ask that you please continue to provide them with wonderful service and care.  I wish you a happy and prosperous future!

Tess you are epic and I want to thank you for the hard work on this file.  It has not been easy.  If there was such a thing as a golden globe award for travel…it would go to you!  Had Lunch today with the customer and she gushed at how nice it is too work with you and know you and I are on board for her next trip.  Thanks again for your hard work, you rock chick.

First I need to thank you again for everything you had done for the group, it would have been a disaster without you and your outstanding staff.  Many, many thanks!  Thank you again, you truly are a rock star!  Comment from Tour Leader:  The vendor on the ground (Thompsons Africa) was nothing short of amazing!

Everything about our trip to South Africa was practically perfect. We can't thank you enough for the way you attended to every detail to ensure we had a wonderful time! Our experience with Swain Destinations and Thompson Africa was exemplary.  Every representative-- from the first gentleman Patrick who met us at the airport in Johannesburg (and escorted us as far as he could to where we'd connect to the Cape Town flight), to the Thompson Africa drivers who led our tours -- was welcoming and knowledgeable. 
 
There was one driver in particular whom we were fortunate to have for both our transfer to Madikwe, from Madikwe, and to the airport on the day we headed home: December Mangaliso.  If there's any way he can be given special recognition for his customer service and wonderful personality, please see that he does.  In addition to sharing the history of the various parts of the country through which we passed, recommending places to eat and sights to see, he even taught us Zulu so we could greet and thank people whom we encountered during our stay in a language other than English.
 
At Madikwe River Lodge, our ranger was Takura, and he was the best ever! His knowledge of the animals and of the bush, his easygoing manner and willingness to teach, made for the most memorable 3 days we could ever have! We actually looked forward to getting up at 4 in the morning. The staff was professional, and friendly, the food was delicious, the accommodations were lovely and the service was excellent.

The DaVinci Hotel was fabulous. From the staff, to the décor, to the room amenities, to the restaurant where we had breakfast each morning, to the hotel's cars-- just top notch. We would definitely stay there again.
 
Probably nothing could upset us after having the opportunity to visit Robben Island, the Cape of Good Hope, the South African penguin colony, Soweto and everywhere else we went.  To top it off, I got to spend my birthday lying on Camps Bay Beach with a beautiful mountain range in the background! What can beat that?

Hi Guys.  I just wanted to send a little note to you all as I am a firm believer of giving credit when credit is due.  Over the last few weeks Talia has been an absolute star with managing our bookings and securing extra allocation or alternative properties to ensure we can confirm our guests. She has been a pleasure to work with and works so hard to ensure our mutual guests are happy. Thanks Talia. Long may it continue.

The clients enjoyed their trip overall.   They loved the accommodation, especially Bukela.  Please let the lodge know the clients were very happy with their stay.

We can't say enough how we enjoyed Bukela.  The hostess, Samantha, and our guide, Jacques, could not have been more welcoming, accommodating, informative and fun.  We saw all the Big Five but for the leopard and lots and lots of other animals.

They also loved Brian – their guide on the Peninsula Tour.

Dear Caroline,
You worked very VERY hard on this very complicated booking and I want to thank you for everything and share with you the feedback from the guests via the agent:
Dear Shelley
I want to thank you and your helpers for making our trip to South Africa a most memorable one.  Everything was marvellous and it was a success from beginning to end.
I would like to thank your people who planned our itinerary and thank them also myself for a very wonderful trip that just built up and up and up till the Safari which was of course the best.
All went well, we had a great time and a trip no one will ever forget and we returned safely and healthy.

Hi Guys. I just wanted to send a little note to you all as I am a firm believer of giving credit when credit is due.  Over the last few weeks Talia has been an absolute star with managing our bookings and securing extra allocation or alternative properties to ensure we can confirm our guests. She has been a pleasure to work with and works so hard to ensure our mutual guests are happy. Thanks Talia. Long may it continue!

Just a quick note on our holiday to Cape Town – we had a great time.  Staff in the hotel were so friendly and helpful and the staff at reception were fantastic and the shuttle bus lads were lovely. Everything went according to plan.  The transfers and all that the fella that picked us up at Cape Town airport gave us loads of info on all the areas on the way to the Hotel.  He was as good if not better than any tour guide.
 
V & A was a great place and mad busy.  I had some of the best fillet of steak ever in my life!  I can't think of the name of the restaurant but it was the first one on your left coming out the Victoria Wharf mall after the hotel shuttle dropped you off.
 
We had dinner in the ‘Cod Father’ one night out in Camps Bay on a friend's recommendation and it was fantastic.
 
Same goes for Kuzuko Lodge – the staff were fantastic and the scenery was unreal!

Everything about our trip to South Africa was practically perfect. We can't thank you enough for the way you attended to every detail to ensure we had a wonderful time! Our experience with Swain Destinations and Thompson Travel was exemplary.  Every representative-- from the first gentleman (Patrick?) who met us at the airport in Johannesburg (and escorted us as far as he could to where we'd connect to the Cape Town flight), to the Thompson Travel drivers who led our tours -- was welcoming and knowledgeable. 
 
There was one driver in particular whom we were fortunate to have for both our transfer to Madikwe, from Madikwe, and to the airport on the day we headed home: December Mangaliso.  If there's any way he can be given special recognition for his customer service and wonderful personality, please see that he does.  In addition to sharing the history of the various parts of the country through which we passed, recommending places to eat and sights to see, he even taught us Zulu so we could greet and thank people whom we encountered during our stay in a language other than English.
 
At Madikwe River Lodge, our ranger was Takura, and he was the best ever! His knowledge of the animals and of the bush, his easygoing manner and willingness to teach, made for the most memorable 3 days we could ever have! We actually looked forward to getting up at 4 in the morning. The staff was professional, and friendly, the food was delicious, the accommodations were lovely and the service was excellent.
The DaVinci Hotel was fabulous. From the staff, to the décor, to the room amenities, to the restaurant where we had breakfast each morning, to the hotel's cars-- just top notch. We would definitely stay there again.
 
Probably nothing could upset us after having the opportunity to visit Robben Island, the Cape of Good Hope, the South African penguin colony, Soweto and everywhere else we went.  To top it off, I got to spend my birthday laying on Camps Bay Beach with a beautiful mountain range in the background! What can beat that?

I want to thank you all for your help and support that you have extended to us all these years, its great dealing with you and all Thompsons Africa team, you guys make us look good to our clients and we can say confidently to our clients that our supplier will resolve any issues while clients are in the destination. We appreciate your promptness and last minute changes that you guys are always willing to make, booking hotel when clients are on the way to South Africa. Its incredible to have a supplier like you and you guys make Thompsons Africa stand so strong and proud in front of its clients!

Thank you so much, really appreciate your incomparable services! Keep it up guys, we love you!

We wanted to thank you again for a great time in South Africa a few weeks ago. This past week we have been compiling photos and sharing the adventures with our family.  I think we'll need a few weeks before we can even begin to share all of the stories and things we learned about South Africa.

You were a great guide (Peter Hess) and we truly appreciate all of the care and attention to detail to make our trip easy and effortless! We hope that we will be able to visit South Africa again soon and pass ‘South Africa 201’.

We wish you all the best for the Holiday Season and a Happy 2016!

I have only been working on this tour for a few months having taken over from Silvia and I have to say, it is a wonderful tour that is well organised and co-ordinated by Soleil and Deborah.  They are always so helpful and pro-active with any issues we have here.  And they always seem very happy!  What is in the water out there?!

Hello,

I was the tour leader for a group from Sweden between the 9th - 15th of November. I just want to tell you that me and my group were so happy, so satisfied with our tour: the programme, the hotels, the dinners and the main thing:  we were so happy to have Karin Besser as our tour guide. I have met many local guides during my trips as a tour leader and I can really recommend her to take care of groups coming to Cape Town.
 
Of course somebody else could have made our trip enjoyable and interesting but she was 'something else' with her personality, her knowledge about the places, about the culture and history.
I was so happy so I just kept smiling for six days because we had her as our local guide. 
 
Thanks for fixing the tickets to Robben Island!
I really hope I get the chance to visit your part of the world once more. So hopefully I get some programmes from you again:))
 
Sincerely
Raija  - Tour leader

Many Thanks for helping make our trip so memorable - Your knowledge and enthusiasm has enriched our pleasure and understanding of your wonderful country.

Dear Yanano,
We have returned back safely and securely from a wonderful trip we will keep in mind forever. My family and I have enjoyed every single day on our tour through this wonderful part of the world. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for your wonderful efforts and support before and during the trip.  We felt looked after at all times and everything went so smoothly. You have done a wonderful job!!  Thanks so much!!! I will definitely plan my next tour to Africa with you! Once again, thanks for your brilliant support for this trip of a life-time.

Just wanted to drop a line to tell you how brilliant Mark Bayman was. As you know, being in the travel industry and travelling overseas rather extensively, I am afforded many opportunities to go on full day tours etc. I have to say Mark was absolutely excellent, I cannot compare this to any other experience. He was extremely professional, knowledgeable and a lot of fun. It cannot have been easy dealing with 6 women visiting wine farms, but he held his own and we had an unforgettable time. We will definitely be requesting him again on our next trip to Cape Town, he is a huge asset to the team. Thank you. And please tell him his recommendations for our night out on the town were spot on too! Ruth Bassett - Sales and Marketing Manager - An African Anthology

Hi Bongi, I hope you are well. Mrs Meichan has returned from Namibia and had a wonderful time, Emma and l (Candy ) received this from her “Hi Both, Am now back after a fantastic adventure in Namibia. Thank you both for helping to make it happen.” Thank you so much Bongi for your knowledge and help in making this possible for Emma and l ( Candy) to arrange this trip for her. Kind regards, Candy

I just wanted to thank Craig Ziman for ending our tour of ‘A World in One Country’ on Saturday Oct 18th in a positive and happy fashion. Craig was witty and informative which made for an interesting learning time. He and our driver were always on time and more than willing to be helpful and accommodating. The whole tour was a great experience with many different adventures. I do miss your sun and warmth as I am back in West Coast Canada in our rainy season. Jean Fraser Bouchard – United States

Hello Thompsons Africa, It’s rare that I feel the need to write to thank a company for a holiday. This is one of those times. Myself, Jennifer Lewington and my husband Julian Martin, travelled with Thompsons Africa on your ‘South African Surprise’. Our journey started on the 19th January when we travelled in a small group of 8 from Jo’burg to Capetown under the care of our guide Craig Olivier. We had the most wonderful experience all the way through and would like to thank both you and especially Craig who was the best guide/driver all of us could wish to have ( and we have travelled quite a lot). He made the experience special... Always there and very informative helpful and caring, but never ‘getting in the way’. So, thank you to you and please make sure Craig gets this thanks too as I do not know how to contact him personally. Jennifer Lewington and Julian Martin – United Kingdom